Batman/Green Arrow/The Question: Arcadia #1 is written and illustrated by Gabriel Hardman and published by DC. Colours by Romulo Fajardo Jr. and letters by Simon Bowland. Main cover art (left) is by Gabriel Hardman.
Batman/Green Arrow/The Question: Arcadia #1 is available from today, in comic book stores and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your physical copy from Forbidden Planet or digitally from Amazon Comixology UK.
Synopsis
From the decaying husk of Hub City, Vic Sage, the Question goes deep undercover on the trail of a human-trafficking operation in the frozen Arctic. Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow, pushed out of his own company’s C-suite, must get his crumbling life back together… but what is Queen Industries’ involvement with a mysterious project dubbed Arcadia? Spurred on by the Question, Green Arrow joins the hunt for answers… but one obstacle stands in the way of their investigation: the Batman.
Review
I’m going to start this review off by being honest. I obviously know who Batman and Green Arrow are, but I have never read a comic that features The Question before. I am aware of his appearance, but have no idea what to expect from the character itself or the story possibilities that come with him. So, going into this three-way crossover, I was very intrigued to see what the character had to offer as well as what Gabriel Hardman plans to do with the three of them in one story.
From the word go, Arcadia establishes a dark, noir style both in its visuals and its storytelling. The colours on the page consist of a lot of blacks, greys and blues, which are broken up with bright oranges and reds when violence takes place. The emphasis on shadows really plays up to the specific style Hardman is going for, all the more reinforced by The Question’s constant narration during his sections.
The narrative takes its time to reveal itself after a rather bombastic opening sequence; the pacing slows down considerably from this point as the focus becomes more dialogue-driven. Still, Hardman never loses momentum and uses consistent intrigue to keep the story flowing. The way in which the three characters are introduced fits each of them perfectly and allows readers to gradually piece together how they are involved in this central mysterious project named Arcadia.
As well as establishing drama and character dynamics, Hardman also finds the fun in the crossover concept, working off previous DC stories that have seen these heroes in the same room before. For instance, there is a decent amount of humour to be found in the disgruntled response Oliver Queen has when The Question rings him for help. Even during scenarios where they’re supposed to work together can lead to simple but hilarious little character moments, most notably when The Question cuts Green Arrow off mid-conversation over their comms.
Hardman also cleverly keeps most of the narrative’s focus on Green Arrow and The Question, almost giving Batman his own side story that will eventually connect to the main one. Even when Batman does show up, especially towards the end, he is treated more like an obstacle in their way rather than the ally most people would expect. It’s an interesting twist that I can wait to see unfold in the remaining issues.
This first instalment is a very promising start. It has a clear story it wants to tell and never lets its style get in the way, despite the artwork having it in droves. The balance of style and substance is apparent and it is clear with every page that Hardman really knows what makes the characters tick.
Verdict
Arcadia is a solid mystery thriller blending the iconography of DC with a brooding, noir style. This is a great story that features these three distinct characters in a way that plays with their strengths and weaknesses, all backed up by Hardman’s own fantastically stylised artwork.
⭐⭐⭐.5
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